AN ENORMOUS fire has broken out at a paint warehouse on Waterloo Road in north London.
Fifteen fire engines and 90 firefighters have rushed to the scene and authorities have warned people to avoid the area.
The flames are lighting up the sky at Staples Corner, a major intersection in north London near Brent Cross.
People living nearby have been urged not to open their windows and doors while firefighters try to tackle the blaze.
One social media user wrote: "Just passed the biggest fire I’ve ever seen in my life. Looks like a warehouse or something of that size near the north circular at Wembley."
Another added: "HUGE fire off north circular just now. Literally exploding, plumes of smoke. I think it is a warehouse although not confirmed."
Eyewitnesses reported hearing explosions from the fire at the factory in Waterloo Road, Staples Corner.
It remains unclear whether there are any casualties.
The fire service said its control room had already taken 45 emergency calls about the blaze.
The towering furnace could be seen by a slew of Londoners with Twitter user Alex Zivanovic filming the devastating flames from his car.
Another user, Shulem Stern, declared that police are “extending the cordon at the huge blaze” as firefighters attempt to calm the bellowing heat.
TFL has announced that the route 112 bus is currently being diverted from the Staples Corner due to the fire.
Routes 183 and 232 have also been given diversions.
The diversion will use Edgware Road, Dollis Hill Lane, Brook Road and North Circular Road.
The cause of the fire is currently unknown.
The first report came at 9.20pm - fire crews from Hendon and surrounding areas soon arrived to try and extinguish the spreading flames.
In an update, the London Fire Brigade stated that “steady progress is being made” and confirmed that factory workers left the building before crews arrived.
It read: “Steady progress is being made at Staples Corner paint factory blaze. The whole of single storey warehouse is alight. Factory workers left the building before the Brigade arrived.”
Witness Achal Dhillon, who lives in Hendon, claimed the towering furnace was burning “quite violently” as he saw fireballs being launched into the air.
He added: "Then we saw a lot of flames suddenly rise up by themselves... then just this huge mountain of fire, almost pyramid shaped and spiralling as it was shooting fireballs into the air.
“It is still going, there is a huge trail of thick black smoke."
Mr Dhillon commended firefighters for arriving only a couple minutes after reports first came in - he went on to say he was “amazed” by the response time.
The fire was under control by 12.38am on Tuesday, according to an update from the London Fire Brigade.
It read: “The #StaplesCorner paint factory fire is under control.
"Firefighters worked tirelessly to stop the fire spreading.
"They will be at the scene throughout the night damping down pockets of fire.
"Factory workers left the building unhurt before we arrived.”
Additional reporting by Will Kirby